earthquake shakes montreal and ottawa.

[Rоulette Goddess]

A strong earthquake shook Ottawa and Montreal in eastern Canada on Wednesday, forcing office workers out onto downtown streets in the nation's capital.

The US Geological Survey reported the temblor of a magnitude of 5.5 hit the Ontario-Quebec border area at 1741 GMT, rattling downtown Ottawa shortly after midday.

The USGS said the epicenter was 61 kilometers (38 miles) north of Ottawa.

AFP journalists witnessed walls in downtown office buildings shook for several seconds. Cracks appeared in the Parliamentary Press Gallery building in Ottawa, and outside. Some people appeared shaken up, but unhurt.

Most downtown Ottawa buildings appeared to have been evacuated as alarms rang out.

James Bowden, a former resident of Alaska who experienced several earthquakes in the US state, was standing in line at a fast-food restaurant on Ottawa's Sparks Street when he said he "heard the earthquake coming a few seconds before it hit."

"It sounded like a freight train barreling towards us," he said.

An avid reader of earthquake sciences, Bowden said Ottawa experiences earthquakes every four or five years. "This one was fairly big," he said.

"It was really... freaky," a pedestrian was overheard saying on her cell phone as she walked by.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100623/wl_canada_afp/canadaearthquake_20100623181233

we felt it... it was really scary. i thought i was gonna die lmfao. i couldn't help but think, "oh shit! everything's gonna collapse!" thank god nothing spectacular happened... :/

 

[Takoto]

A friend of mine was caught in it :< He facebook update'd as it happened just saying "EARTHQUAKE?".

 

[Fig]

I went to bed real late, and woke up jumping around in my bed through no fault of my own.

Scary.

 

[TM2-Megatron]

I felt it, slightly. Just a few mild tremors for maybe 15 or so seconds; at first I wasn't even sure what it was.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

Been downgraded to a 5.0 from 5.5. Apparently it was noticed as far away as Vermont and New York. I didn't feel a thing.

 

[Fig]

I'm quite surprised about that second downgrade, personally. That quake was by no mean nearly 10 time weaker than the Saguenay quake of 1988 (variusly stated as 5.9-6.0). Granted, it was much closer to home, but still.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

Well that's just CBC's report; I haven't yet seen any other stories with that updated figure. Any reports on whether there have been aftershocks yet?

 

[TM2-Megatron]

The IRIS seismic monitor site was updated with the 5.0 rating:

http://www.iris.edu/seismon/zoom/events/?lon=-75.46&lat=45.87

 

[Fig]

Yeah, but IRIS uses USGS data.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

In other news, a relief effort group has been set up on Facebook. They are asking for frozen treats such as ice lollies over canned food at this time. Please donate what you can; I really want some ice cream :-(

 

[Fig]

I'm obliged to point out that any relief you sent to Ontario via Quebec is likely to be seized at the border for our own relief effort!

(We want ice cream too)

 

[Caitlin]

It hit while I was out enjoying a nice drive while I was on an overpass. My car started shaking violently and the guy next to me rolled down his window and asked if I felt it as well.

I even came home to this ugly thing that wasn't there when I left before the earthquake hit. And just as we'd patched that area up awhile ago. Maybe if we put the doorframe back on, that wouldn't have happened...

Anywho, it was an interesting feeling. I'd thought that being in an earthquake would be pretty much... unnoticeable if I were out on the open road like that, unless it were a really big one.

 

[Steven]

I live right on the coast of Lake Erie here in the U.S., and I wasn't the only one here that felt it, I guarantee you!

 

[Rоulette Goddess]

it was really, really scary. we see such things on television and in movies, but to actually experience it in real life is just like omg O_O.

 

[Zesty Cactus]

I felt it right here in Toronto. I was at work, I work on the 8th floor and I could feel the building shifting. I was sooo scared omg!

My dad was working in Mississauga and he felt it there, too.

 

[Every Breaking Wave]

I think I'm the only person on this forum in the affected region who didn't feel anything. =S

 

[hurristat]

I felt it in Michigan.

I bet you all of the Californians are laughing at us right now.

 

[Zesty Cactus]

I think I'm the only person on this forum in the affected region who didn't feel anything. =S

I do know a couple of people irl that didn't feel it, though.

 

[Eredar Warlock]

5.0?

Pansies. A quake like that wouldn't have even woken me up. Now a 6.0, that actually did a couple years ago.

 

[Chebon]

Lol ^ .
Pretty sure this is a first for most people in the specified area.

I felt it for maybe 10 seconds, here in Mississauga.
Can't even recall what really happened.
Just felt a bit dizzy, and I moved a bit, which made me think I was losing it

Thanks.